Assoc.-Prof. Ursula Mirastschijski is currently consultant at the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Klinikum Bremen-Mitte and leads her own research group at the Center for Biomolecular Interactions Bremen, Dept. of Chemistry and Biology, University of Bremen. Her clinical training in general surgery, dermatology and plastic-reconstructive surgery (incl. burns) was always accompanied with basic research. The scientific interest in skin wound and tissue repair started with her PhD studies at Lund University, Sweden in 1999. Since then Matrix metalloproteinases and skin have been her main focus. Working in two worlds at the same time gave her the unique chance to link science and clinics. In 2010, she specialized for plastic surgery and received her Ass-Prof degree. Dr. Mirastschijski has supervised thesis research leading to 5 MD, and 1 PhD. She is an ERC Starting Grantee and received extensive funding for wound healing and anti-scarring research with international patent filing. Currently, her group is focussing on anti-inflammatory therapeutics. Dr. Mirastschijski is member of various national and international clinical and scientific societies related to wound healing, burns and tissue repair.

Since 2000, Dr. Mirastschijski has been member of the ETRS and followed its development over the years. The society’s broad research platform gave rise to many international contacts and scientific collaborations. My motivation to be a board member is to strengthen and widen the clinical pillar of the society’s vast scientific platform in the direction of translational medicine. Young scientists should be encouraged to proof their innovative findings in correctly designed clinical studies to transfer novel concepts into clinical reality. Knowledge transfer how to design (clinical) studies and how to acquire financial funding is fundamental for junior researchers; the ETRS can provide experienced support and training which is central to foster the coming generations. By linking clinics with science, I feel comfortable to contribute substantially to promote the goals of the European Tissue Repair Society.